Tile-sorting machine



` B. L'. BENSON. TILE SO'RTING MACHINEI APPLICATION FILED MAY II 1920.

. 'Patented Fbi'z'z, 1921.

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IIIIIIIIIIII ,NV-ml B. L. BENSON.

TILE SORTING MACHINE.

APPucATxoNHLED MAMO, 1920.

Patented Feb. 22,1921.

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INVTOR. @XM

B. LIBENSON. TILE SORTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 10.11920. v I 1,369,377. l Patented Feb. 22,1921h `4 SHEETS-SHEET 45 Fez. w, W :7.,

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` Tr) all riz-0m, t may concern:

B RADLE' L. BENSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

i TILE-SORTING VIACHINE.

heengaan.

San Francisco and State of California, have invented ycertain new and useful -Improve-` ments in TileSorting Machines, of which the following-is a specification.' Y, l

The present invention is a new and useful improvement in tile sorting machines.

to provide Aa machine which will sort tiles suchas ceramic floor tiles from a miscellaneous mass or pile'` and vdeliver them, smooth side up, and selectively obtain control; of the tiles for, subsequent delivery to necessitating their reversal byhand'. The

Lbeing tapeieiievvardftheir'rear end for thef.

other` machines, trays or receptacles for inspection or for pasting.

:Another object is to provide a machine for selecting tiles with regardl to-size', one 'of which will reject over size tile or misshapen or inalformed tiles. Ceramic floor tiles are made vin various sizes and shapes, the principal forms being square vaiidhexagon. Conforming to present day practice,y these tiles are manufactured with one smooth faceand one rough face. The rough side usually contains a groove for the purpose' of clearing the dies in whichl the tiles are formed and also to provide va bond for the tile,

when set in cement.l It is customary to assemble the tiles andfpaste them lwith'the smooth; face in contact with a slie'et of'paper. This enables the tile setter to handle approximately two square feet of tile so pasted, which are properlyspaced apart in all directions ata time, and by matching the edgesfofthe'se sheets, the tile setter is able tovmatchthe sheets and cut joints to cover any v.desired area.; The assembling, sorting' andspacing ofv these tiles has hitherto been' accompiished byhand labor. Boards are provided with'- metallic spacersr embedded therein, and the tile is shakeny loosely into these boards and agitated until the tile seeks thepockets inj thefboards This -isa slow laborious 'processa-nd obviously a great numberlofthe-tiles will Vbe wrong side up,

present invention contemplates a mechanical f means' for selectingfrom a mass of tile, such tiles as are suitable for' pasting and providing means for deliveringV the same, all smooth side up, in rows or chutes, for inspection or delivery to pastin machines which are adapted to paste t esame to 'Specification of Letters Patent.

The principal objectl of the invention is raiemealreb. 22,1921.

application inea may io, 1920'. semi No. 380,230.

sheets of paper. Thedevice hereinafter de- A' y scribed V.also rprovides means, for eliminating lsand and deb-ris which J'may' be" contained with the tiles. l l

Other objects and 'advantages Willvbe seen as the description proceeds.V

In this specification and the annexed' drawings, the invention is illustrated in the form considered to be the best, hutit is to he' understood that the invention is not limited to such form, because lit may be embodied in other forms and it is also to be understood that in and by the claims-following the description it is desired 'to cover the invention in whatever form it may be embodied. v

'In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a rside elevation of my machine Apartly broken away. v

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross section taken on the line III HI of Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary detail views illustrating the vacuum tile gripping mechanism. .4 Fig. 6 is a detail view of the chute mechanisrn, and

` In the drawings, like numerals correspond to similar parts in the different vie-ws.v

The numeral 5 designates a base to which are secured uprights (i and 7. 4The uprights 6 support inclined side rails 8 which carry my sorting mechanism to belater described.

The uprights 7 are each provided'with Aa series of orifices.9I for the purpose of adinetahly supporting the rear end of a hopper 11 through the medium of screws 12. 'lhe forward end ot' this hopper is preferablyl supported by a cviin '13 pivoted at 14 in inclined members 15. This cam 13 is moved about its. pivot point by means of a rod 16 /adjusta-bly secured at 17 as shown in Fig. 2.

The hopper 11, see F ig. 2, is provided with a series of raised spacing bars 18, the same purpose of providing aflared entrance tot`v the grooves 19. Thesegrooves 19 are each` .matter to drop therethrough.

The numeral 22 designates a brush carhic ried u ona shaft 23 which shaft is jour-A na-led 1n the sides of the hopper 11 as shown at 24. This brush is rotated Jin a counter clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow A of Fig. 1.

The numerals 26 and 27 refer to angle iron members supported upon the inclined f direction, with theresult that a block placed upon the worms would be caused to more toward an inclinedmember 33. The pun pose of this movement will be 'later described.

. the belt'37. Rotation will also be The numerals 34 refer to cams carried on the ends of t-he worms 28, the purpose of which will be later described. A brush 36 is mounted above the worms 28 and is adapted to rotate in a counter clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow B.

The numeral 37 designates a beltl passing areundpulleys 38, 39 and 41, the purpose of which is to drive the brushes 22 and 36.

Thenumeral 42 designates a belt' passing over a motor pulley 43 and over a pulley 44,-

which pulley 44 is mounted upon the end of the shaft 32.

The numeral 46 designates a motor shaft which is adapted to be driven by a motor 47. T'hus it will bwemseen as the 'motor 47 rotates the shaft 46 the pulley 43 lwill transmit power through the belt 42 to the pulley 44 which, in turn, will rotate the shaft 32, gears 31, gears 29, worms 28 and through imparted to the brushes 22 and 36.

The Anumerals 48 refer to Avacuum cups, the action of which is best illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. The vacuum' cups are positioned in the angle non 27 so as -to'lie in a plane between the ends of the worms 28.h

An expansion spring 49 is provided around the stem of each vacuum cup for the purpose of normally retaining the same in the positlon shown in Fig. 4. iA relief valve of y ordlnaryconstruction is contained within each stem and has a protruding end 5L which end is adapted to contact with release screws 52. An arm 53 is provided on each stem, which arm is adapted, to engage the v cam 34 carried on the adjacent worm. The

operation' of 'these vacuumcups will be later described. The release screws 52 are earried upon a yoke 54 attached to the angle,-

iron 27. Iii-Fig. '1 it will be notedthat a series of chutes 56 and 57 are provided adyacent the' endscf the worms, the purpose of'which is to receive tile delivered bytlie worms and deliver the same to any deslred point. The chutes 57 are so bent as to cause the tile delivered thereto to make a half turnA in going from one end of the chute to the opposite end, the purpose of which will be hereinafter` described. By referring to Fig. 6 it will be noted that guides 30 are positioned between each set of worms and at a point below the axis of same, the purpose 'of which is to support the tile between the.

worms28 as illustratedbythe tile C, Fig. 6. In operation, bulk tile is dumped into the hopper 11; the cam 13 is then moved so that' the forward end ofthe hopper 11 rests upon the worms 28. This imparts a vibratory movement to the hopper 11 and causes the tile to slide through the" grooves 19. The brush 22 then` encounters any tile which may be liable to go through, except the tile which are in the grooves. Any broken tile Aor under size tile will 'be caused to drop through the openings 21 with the result that the tile delivered to the worms 28 willV be perfect tile. A tile is shown about to be delivered lat D of Fig. 1. These tile drop to the worms and in most instances take a position'in the Some, however, ride on the worms as shown at F of Figs. 1 and 3 until they encounter the brush 36. This brush acts to throw the tile F `backward until. the same does take a position similar to that shown at E. Tile which may be over size will be caused to move toward inclined member 33 and discharged down the same out ofthe machine worm as shown at E ofFig. 3 directly.

as shown at G' of Fig. 3. The reason for this tile being discharged to the side is that the worms are all rotating in a direction toward that side of the machine andat the ,This action is very rapid and positive in actual operation. vWhen the tiles .reacht'he A upper. end of the machine and are about to be discharged Afrom the worms as shown at- H of F ig.l 4 thel vacuum members will be in a retracted position as shown at Fig. 5, due to the action cf the arms 53 and the cams 34.

spring 49 with the Aresult that the tile is engaged by the vacuum member. Should the A1; this point ,the vacuum member.y shoots` forward under the action of the lio smooth side of .the tile be toward the vacuum member, hthe vacuum will then act to retain jection r51 engages the release screw* 52. This contact breaks the vacuum and the tile drops by gravity into lone of the chutes56. Should, however, a tile ,bev presentedto the vacuum cup so that its rough side comes inl Contact therewith, the vacuum will not opcrate and as soon as the vacuum cup starts 1.05 same time the worms are on an incline.

to recede from the end of the screws, the tile Will drop into the chiite 57. It Will now he noted that the chute 5T is twisted as before mentioned, ivhich results in the tile making a half turn so that at the lower end of the chiites all of the tile will. have the smooth face presented upwardly with the result 'that I have sorted out the imperfect tile. those being under size, and thosebeing over size, and have delivered the perfect tile to a series of chutes in sucha manner that all of the tile emerge from the machine sorted and turned rightv side up to traverse the chutes for inspection or delivery to other machines.

1n Fig. 8 'l have shown a cross section ot' a Hoor tile showing the smooth face of the tile at Gland the grooved 4hack at 62.

rThis explains the action of the Vvacuum. cups Which refuse the tile when the grooved surface is presented as the vacuum is broken.

The machine Works Well with either square or hexagon tile. Slight alterations in the Worms accommodate them to the various sizes and shapes of tile.

It will be noted in the drawings that'lthe helix of each of the worms is substantially triangular-in cross section. This is to facilitate .the gravitation of the tiles into the pockets formed between' the Worms'.

lt is essential in my invention that the apex or" each helix of each Worm coincides' with that of the helix 'of the next adjacent Worm so that a Cseries of pockets is formed which travel upwardly as the Worms are rotened. l

Having -th1is described ymy invention, what claim 'as'new and novel is:

l. ln a device et the character described a hopper.,` a series of' parallel inclined Worms having their lower ends positioned beneath said hopper, means for raising and lowering the end o said hopper, a rotating brush mounted Withinsaid hopper for the purpose of regnlating the :tiovv of tile therefrom, guides mounted beneath said worms.

and adapted to engage one of said cams,

said vacuum cup being adapted to engage the smooth surface ofthe tile delivered by said worms, and withdrawing'therefrom for the purpose of proper distribution and means for releasing said tile so engaged from said vacuum cup.

A sorting machine for tiles consistinge of a hopper.J a plurality of vworms adapted to los rotated in one direction and deliver the tile from said' hopper, guides between the 'worms adapted to support the tiles as they are propelledby the worms, and means 3.. In a sorting machine for articles having a roughv side and a smooth side, vacuum means adapt-ed to engage said smooth side and reject said rough side. means for retracting said vacuum means, and means for"y I releasing said vacuum at a pre-determined Ipoint for distribution of articles engaged by said vacuum means. y l it. ln a sorting machine for articles having a rough side anda smooth side `vacuum means adapted to engage said smooth side and reject said rough side, means for retracting said vacuum means, means for releasing said vacuum at a predetermined point for distributionL of articles engaged by said vacum means, a series of chutes adapted toconduct articles rejected by said vacuum means, and anotherser'ies oi" chutes adapted'to conduct articles engaged hy said vacuum means when said vacuum isreleased.

5. 1n a sorting machine for articles having a rough side and a smooth side, vacuum' means adapted to engage said smooth side and reject said rough, side, means for retracting said vacuum means, means for releasing Asaid vacuum at a pre-determined point for distribution of articles engaged by said vacuum means, a series of chutes adapted to conduct articles rejected by said 'vacuum means, another series of chutes adapted to conduct articles engaged by said vacuum means when said vacuum is released, and `means in one-'of said sei-ies of chiites for inverting all ci' said articles so that all the 'articles in both chiites will be delivered with the saine surfaces upward.

6. A sorting machine for tiles adapted to Withdraw said tiles from a disordered mass and place same in orderly processione, consisting; of a suitable intime, a series of worms, adapted to rotate in a common direction,'said Worms having helices substantiallytriaiigular in cross-section and of a pitch which will cause the tiles to tilt in uniformly edgewise positions between said worms on a 'plane at a right angle to the axes of said worms, the helix of each worm coinciding with that ot'the adjacent worin to toi-in rows of pockets, andV guides beneath each row of pockets for supporting said tiles in said edgewise position as they are propelled hy thewoi'ins.

T. 1, machine 'loi' withdrawingarticles i'roin a disordered mass and placing same in orderly processions comprising; a frame, .a plurality of worms adapted to be rotated simultaneously in a common direction and ser positioned that the helix of each worm coincides with that ol the adjacentivorm at all times .flaringf rotation to forni a series of pockets, guides extending beneath said pockets adapted to support said articles as alltimes during rotation to forml a series 4 they are-propelled by said worms and conof pockets, guides extending beneath said duits communicating with said guides pockets adapted to support said articles asy adapted to convey articles from said guides. they a-re'propelled by said worms, the Said 15 5 8. A machine for withdrawing articles worms, and guides being inclined upwardly from a disordered mass and placing same in in such a 'manner that articles not engaged '/orderly processions comprising a frame, a by said'pockets will fall backward for sul)- plurality ofwormsadapted to be rotated sisequent engagement.`

multaneously in. a common direction and so In testimony whereof, I afx mysigna- 20' 10 positioned that the'helix of each Worm coture.

incidesy With th/atzof the adjacent' worm at BRADLEY L. BENSON. 

